Let’s take a moment to recognize that being a member of the Xavier Mission Team (XMT), I may have a “rose-colored” view of my teammates.
But after living in community with them for five months, I can honestly say they’re some of the most amazing and wonderful people I’ve ever met.
If you’re asking yourself “I don’t know what XMT is, let alone who they are?”, I can explain what it is that we do briefly.
The Xavier Mission Team is a new evangelization initiative for the Diocese of Madison, teaching and serving the youth of the diocese.
But who are they? What do they do in their free time? How in the world can six young adults “successfully” live in community in this day and age? By the grace of God.
The five female missionaries (Ellen Sterns, Catherine Pinter, Sarah Breuer, Caroline Locke, and Molly Schoepp) have been living together in a house for the past five months, along with our lovely supervisor Meghan Bonham. Our male teammate (Zach Gonring) has been living in an apartment across the street from us.
More about the team
Ellen is from New London, Wis., and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2021.
Catherine is from Spencer, Wis., and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2020.
Sarah is from Glen Haven, Wis., and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2020.
Caroline is from Beloit and graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 2020.
Zach is from Madison and graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. in 2021.
Lastly, my hometown is Sauk City and I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2021.
This is just a snapshot into my teammates’ lives. I would love to rant to you about how wonderful they are and some fun facts about them, but I fear this would take up the rest of the Herald, so I will refrain.
But you might be wondering, “what is it like living in a house with five other women?” My answer would be, simply, “like a family”.
It is not puppies and unicorns living in community 100 percent of the time.
Personalities sometimes clash, cleaning forgets to be done, and laundry is strewn on the floor (sorry Ellen).
We are all truly striving to live as disciples of Christ, and so, for the most part, living together goes swimmingly.
While our sole male missionary lives across the street from us, he is over often for meals, prayer, work, and community nights.
But I decided to ask Zach how he felt about living by himself.
He replied, “Unfortunately, since we couldn’t find any other men to be part of this year’s team, my experience of community living as the singular male has been quite different than I anticipated. But I have been informed that I am ‘blessed among women,’ and praise God for good teammates!”
You might be wondering what exactly we all do together?
Every day we attend Mass and pray a Holy Hour together. We also strive to do team prayer in the mornings.
Beyond the daily call of the “job,” we generally enjoy hanging out with each other — hiking at parks, visiting shrines, cooking meals together, all young adult things.
Like a ‘family’
At first, none of us really knew each other and so we had to get to know each other.
As time went on, we learned our various weaknesses and gifts, so, we had to learn how to best “use” everyone’s gifts.
Much like a family, each person has a role in our community, but each person is also asked to be flexible in order to better love each other. Community living is a hotbed for holiness.
In order to get a better glimpse into each of my teammates personally, I decided to interview them to ask why they joined XMT, how they feel about community living, and their post-XMT plans (by far the scariest question).
‘Why did you join XMT?’
Catherine: When I first heard about XMT, I thought that it sounded like a great opportunity to work with the youth of the Diocese of Madison and to live on mission, as I have done other mission work in the past.
It also seemed like a good opportunity to share the Catholic faith with the middle and high schoolers as high school played an important role in my own faith journey.
XMT also offered me the chance to live in community in Madison (where I went to college), meet new people (the team and the youth of the diocese), make new friendships, and grow in my own personal faith.
Sarah: After being a missionary for a year with NET Ministries, I had a deep desire to enkindle a love for God in the community I grew up in, but didn’t quite know how.
I quickly got an answer to the “how” when I received a message about Xavier Mission Team and the work they were to do.
I found this to be the perfect opportunity to begin enkindling the love for God in the hearts of those I care about.
Caroline: I joined XMT because I had a desire to live in a Catholic community with other young adults.
Additionally, I saw a need within the diocese for continued faith formation programs for high school students.
It has been a joy to help develop and facilitate programs that I know I would have wanted to attend when I was back in high school.
Zach: I was looking to do some sort of youth or young adult ministry in the Church but wanted to be RADICALLY on mission.
It just so happened a new missionary team of young adults was sprouting in my home diocese, so it seemed like the right fit for me.
XMT was a chance to do great ministry for the diocese and run the race alongside a community of Catholic young adults.
Ellen: I knew that after college I desired to spend at least one year serving Christ and His Church specifically through mission work.
I have discovered over the years that I have a deep passion and love for youth ministry, specifically by inviting young people into a true and living relationship with the Lord Jesus.
Thus, when the Lord opened the door for XMT, literally placing the opportunity in my lap, I could not help but say yes.
Molly: Having grown up in the diocese, I saw there was a lot of need for this kind of ministry. The thought of working in my own diocese really intrigued me a lot.
How do you like living
in community?
Catherine: Living in community has been an adjustment, to say the least.
But it has been fun getting to know everyone on the team and growing in friendships with each teammate. I really appreciate the team praying a Holy Hour together as well as the team prayer each morning where team members share prayer intentions, and we pray as a team for them.
I also enjoy our community nights where we come together for dinner and do some sort of activity.
But some of the best times happen when we just hang out as a group or just chit-chat in the house with one another.
Sarah: I believe deep down that as humans a desire for community is written into our hearts. So, to be living in a community with others who love the Lord and desire the best for you is such a gift.
Yes, it is also a wild ride, but it is so worth striving for. I am excited to see what this upcoming semester brings to our community.
Caroline: Living in community is full of unique joys and challenges.
It requires patience, understanding, and sacrifices at times, but all of the little moments shared together as a team around the dinner table or in the living room laughing make it all worth it.
Ellen: I have grown to deeply love community living over the years, given the many experiences I have had of it.
Though no experiences have ever been the same, they have all been purifying and challenged me to go deeper in love.
What are your plans after XMT?
Catherine: I haven’t decided on anything yet. I am looking at applying to some jobs back home (from the Marshfield, Wis., area) or in the Madison area.
I studied social work and Spanish in college, so I am hoping to work in the social work field in some capacity and to utilize my Spanish-speaking skills.
Sarah: I have many opportunities that I can pursue when XMT concludes in May.
Currently, I am strongly considering continuing to serve the Church in some way.
Caroline: Unsure. Don’t ask. Haha!
Zach: Only the Lord knows at this point, but it will be most certainly for the sake of His Kingdom.
I anticipate that I will continue working in the Church after this year, most likely in youth or young adult ministry — wherever or however the Lord calls me.
Ellen: I’m going to hold on to this answer until things are more confirmed.
Molly: To be honest, I don’t know. A couple of things have come to mind, but none are confirmed.
Now you have a better idea of the missionaries behind the Xavier Mission Team.
None of us would be here without our lovely supervisors Lindsay Finn and Meghan Bonham (both of whom work for the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the diocese).
If you see us roaming around the diocese, feel free to stop us and ask us more about ourselves or about our year of mission on Xavier!
If you would like to learn more about the Xavier Mission Team, go to madisondiocese.org/xmt and you can also follow the team on Instagram.
Molly Schoepp is a member of the Xavier Mission Team for the Diocese of Madison and a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.